The Belgian lineup will be starting the cobbled classics campaign with a stacked lineup on both Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne. Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team have a big set of riders who are capable of thriving in the cobbles, and they have announced the riders that will represent it.
“As a Belgian team, the Opening Weekend is always very exciting. The riders are looking forward to it, especially as it will be a good test for their condition. We have a lot of guys – Kasper, Yves, Florian and Zdenek – who can be there in the finale and fight for a good result in Omloop, but also one day later, when Fabio will be part of the team together with Jannik," team DS Tom Steels announced.
This weekend will see the start of the cobbles classics season with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne. This Saturday will see Omloop where the specialists will be at the head of the race towards the end, where Yves Lampaert, Zdenek Stybar, Florian Sénéchal and Kasper Asgreen are set to lead the race in the Belgian team's traditional approach.
The latter is recovering from Covid-19 and isn't expected to be at the level, however still with a lot of time to recover his form, after showing struggles at the Volta ao Algarve.
Steels completed: "In Josef, we have a new guy who maybe lacks some experience in this kind of races, but has a lot of horsepower and will be guided by Iljo, while Bert knows how to put our leaders in a good position before the crucial points on the course."
At Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne the race is more likely to end up in a sprint where Fabio Jakobsen will likely be leading the team, but the Belgian team will have several cards to chase or cover moves from early on.
Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad: Kasper Asgreen, Yves Lampaert, Florian Sénéchal, Zdenek Stybar, Josef Cerny, Bert van Lerberghe and Iljo Keisse
Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team for Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne: Fabio Jakobsen, Jannik Steimle, Yves Lampaert, Florian Sénéchal, Zdenek Stybar, Bert van Lerberghe and Iljo Keisse
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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Three more sleeps until @OmloopHNB! We are excited to reveal the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl riders who will be in action on the Opening Weekend: quickstep-alphavinylteam.com/en/news/5375/q… Photo: @jeredgruber
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